


The Throne of Strings and Time

by JjdoggieS



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: (but not anyone you should care about), (eventual character death), (or bodyguards in this case), Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Not Related, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Background Relationships, Bisexual Number Five | The Boy, Bisexual Number Six | Ben Hargreeves, Bisexual Vanya Hargreeves, Bodyguard, Bodyguard Ben Hargreeves, Bodyguard Five Hargreeves, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Princess Vanya Hargreeves, Princess/bodyguard - Freeform, Protective Number Five | The Boy, Protective Number Six | Ben Hargreeves, Royalty, Slow Burn, This might be a, background alluther, background kliego, benfiveya is endgame, this is yet another exchange, with tori ❤️
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-20 21:20:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30011097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JjdoggieS/pseuds/JjdoggieS
Summary: Princess Vanya, the sole child of King Reginald Hargreeves of the Kingdom of Scintilla is arranged to marry Prince Leonard Peabody of the Kingdom of Ronin. King Reginald and Prince Leonard, both of whom were concerned for the Princess’s safety after recent threats on her life due to the controversy of her betrothal to Prince Leonard, hire two bodyguards to protect Princess Vanya at all times. And perhaps, Princess Vanya’s bodyguards, Ferdinand ‘Five’ Kauffman and Benjamin ‘Ben’ Haverland, may just become something a bit more than just bodyguards to the princess.- - -Benfiveya - Princess/Bodyguard(s) AU
Relationships: Number Five | The Boy/Number Six | Ben Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy/Vanya Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy/Vanya Hargreeves/Number Six | Ben Hargreeves, Vanya Hargreeves/Number Six | Ben Hargreeves, light - vanya hargreeves/leonard peabody
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	The Throne of Strings and Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fiveyaaas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiveyaaas/gifts).



It had been nearly six weeks since her father, King Reginald Hargreeves VII, announced to not only their kingdom, the Kingdom of Scintilla, of her betrothal to Prince Leonard II, but to Prince Leonard’s kingdom, the Kingdom of Ronin, as well. And, to the surprise of Vanya, and seemingly Vanya alone, it was not taken well by either kingdom. It had been so poorly received by both kingdoms that there had been near daily threats on her life. (Some had been directed towards her father or Prince Leonard, but most had been directed at her. As if she had been the one to decide to whom she’d be wed.)

While Vanya had begun to get accustomed to the many threatening letters she received from angered subjects from both kingdoms, having received more than a handful every day since three days past the announcement, what she had not been expecting was to be called into Fath- King Reginald’s throne room, with Prince Leonard standing off to his left. (The vacant throne to his right a painful sight even now.) “You requested to see me, Your Majesty?” Vanya started as she stood before her father and fiance, feeling more anxious than she typically did. Seeing as nothing good had ever come from her being summoned to the throne room. 

The last time she had been, she’d been told of her betrothal to Prince Leonard.

Her father gave her a short nod, the glare he seemed to be constantly giving her did nothing but unsettle her further as he explained, “It was been brought to my attention by Prince Leonard, that the  _ grievances _ you have been receiving as of late have taken a more  _ drastic _ turn and now pose a risk too great to continue to ignore.”

“What is it that you suggest I do in light of this, Your Majesty?” Vanya asked, wishing that she could simply talk to her father, as much as many of his actions in recent years displeased her, as she had when she was a young girl. Back when they still  _ acted _ like a family.

“Do not speak over me again, or there will be consequences.” King Reginald growled, his voice booming against and echoing off the walls of the throne room, barrelling right into her ears. “There has already been a decided course of action that is expected to alleviate your situation. As it was proposed by Prince Leonard, of which I granted, in that it is in Scintilla’s best interest to place an increased security detail on you.”

Not wanting to be scolded yet again for asking a mere question, Vanya waited a moment, looking between King Reginald and Prince Leonard, and when neither said anything after a bit of a lull in their conversation, Vanya accepted, saying, “If that is what you believe to be best Your Majesty, for Scintilla.” Not for her. For the kingdom.

Evidently, if the disapproving look King Reginald gave her at that, she had managed to mess up something as simple as accepting her new arrangement because of consequences for a decision made by the men that controlled her life. “Very well.” King Reginald muttered, “It is also in the best interest of Scintilla, as well as Ronin, that there is a limitation on your travels from the grounds. Am I understood Princess of Scintilla?”

She wasn’t going to allowed off castle grounds again. For at least a few years into her marriage to Prince Leonard, likely not until she produced at least one male heir with him.

“Of course Your Majesty.” Vanya answered.

Her father, ever since she’d been of age to be a part of court affairs, ever since she had turned twelve a mere six years ago, had used her title, her role as princess of Scintilla against her whenever he suspected she may disagree with his decision. (Which, in more recent years, was becoming more and more true.)

Vanya was dismissed from the throne room with the wave of King Reginald’s hand, the guards hadn’t even opened the doors before he and Prince Leonard had begun discussing plans for the union of Scintilla and Ronin. The merging of kingdoms, and  _ not _ the marriage of his daughter, his only heir.

Once more, as she had been as a mere child, Vanya was again left out of political and governing matters. Despite the years she’d poured into her studies, of hanging along the walls of governing meetings with the advisors, lead by King Reginald, the hundreds of thousands of times she did not say a word, refrained from causing a commotion, all her  _ work _ was snatched away from her overnight by a man from another kingdom who’d never set foot in their castle, in  _ her _ home, until seven weeks ago.

Everything Vanya had worked for since she was born, was taken from her by a man.

How fitting.

As Vanya returned to her chambers, one of her aides telling her as she walked that her new ‘protection’ would be awaiting her when she got there, the only thing that consumed her thoughts was her father. She wondered how someone as cruel and overbearing had ever been married to someone as sweet and caring as her mother, and then her loving and doting stepmother, was beyond Vanya. Perhaps, in the earlier years of King Reginald and the deceased Queen Tatiana’s reign over Scintilla, he’d been a kinder person, hardened by the responsibility of ruling over so many subjects. But she sincerely doubted it.

Princess Vanya had been so consumed by her thoughts, that she’d forgotten about her security detail, regardless of if she’d actually wanted them or not, that was awaiting her arrival in her chambers. She’d been yet to notice the two men when her chamber doors were pulled open before her, rather it wasn’t until her aides and ladies in waiting, all except her childhood best friend, Lady Allison Draney, had left her with them.

As Allison untangled the ornate tiara Vanya was expected to wear whenever  _ not _ in her chambers from her hair, Lady Allison whispered in her ear, “You have company, Your Highness.”

Vanya turned from Allison, as Lady Allison replaced her tiara on its stand, only now taking note of the two other figures standing in her chambers. With her gaze upon the two men, they quickly bowed before her, with utterances of ‘Your Highness’ before standing at attention once more. Schooling her expression into one of a cold, uncaring person, she hoped, as King Reginald had instructed her to do when being approached by people she did not know  _ but _ knew were below her status. (Which honestly, had been something she had always disliked acting like.) She gave each of the men, not knights if their attire was anything to go by, a once over before asking them, “Who are you exactly?”

One of the men, the brown haired one, with the  _ notable _ eyebrows, knelt before her, as he introduced himself as “Ferdinand Kauffman, of Driroth.”

“Ferdinand?” Vanya repeated. It was an  _ odd _ name. She’d never heard any like it before.

“Yes, Your Highness, but I often go by Five if you would prefer it.” Ferdin-  _ Five _ confirmed.

Soon after Five finished his introduction, the other man, looking oddly familiar to Vanya, knelt beside him, Vanya could hear Allison barely containing a giggle behind her at their theatrics as the other man introduced himself as, “Benjamin Haverland, of Plotan.”

“Benjamin.” Vanya repeated, getting a nod from the man, similarly to Five, telling her she could call him Ben if she would prefer. “Well, Sir Five, Sir Ben, I would like for you to meet my closest lady in waiting, Lady Allison Draney.” Vanya beckoned Allison over to them, her best friend curtsying as she stood before the men.

With Allison settled beside her, Five and Ben standing before her, Vanya told them, “Today, will be a rather significant day in our history.” With Five and Ben’s attention and fascination captured, Allison knowing what she was going to say already, Vanya continued, “On this day, we will start on my plans of staging a coup d'état, against King Reginald and Prince Leonard. A needed action, to reclaim my throne and my place in court.”


End file.
